Part One: Flock, We Have a Problem
by NeoTheBean
Summary: When Max's daughter is abducted in the middle of the night, ten years of peace for the bird kids comes to a screeching halt as eight year old Hawk must learn how to survive on her own...and fast. Half canon POV, half OC POV.
1. 1

Disclaimer: I own Hawk and X. That is all. All else belongs to James Patterson.

* * *

_**Maximum Ride: (insert secondary title here)**_

**Prologue**

1

X replayed the footage for the hundredth time. The young bird girl flared hawk-like wings and swooped majestically across the grainy screen. X's heart pounded with excitement as she watched the bird girl wheel and loop across the sky. Saliva gathered in the corners of her mouth.

"Mine," she hissed. "All. Mine."

Her head swivelled around suddenly. A second later, the door banged open and a man entered. He let a metal tray drop to the ground, scattering the dry bread and bottle of water that were its contents across the cement floor.

"Food," he said unnecessarily as X tucked the tiny video camera into the front of her jeans. The man never took notice as he turned away and slammed the door behind him.

As soon as he was gone, X leapt upon the bread like a hyena. She shovelled it down, coughing when she inhaled the dry crumbs. The bottle of water had rolled against the only furniture in the room--a metal toilet tucked into a back corner--and she retrieved it, stabbing a hole in the side near the bottom with a long claw. She drained the full bottle in a single draught.

The next several minutes were spent as she choked on the too-sudden intake of food and water. When she recovered, she sat again in the middle of the room with her back to the door and took the video camera from her jeans. She flipped open the screen with unwieldy talons and stabbed carefully at the Play button.

Her golden eyes lit gleefully as the bird girl once again dived across the screen.

* * *

Tidbit:

_Maximum Ride: Fang_ is due to come out in March of 2010. I'm super duper excited.


	2. 2

**Part One: Flock, We Have a Problem**

2

Okay, so we all know I'm not exactly the sentimental type. But let me tell you, the first time I saw that half me, half Fang, little mutant bird girl fly, I was bawling like a baby. I mean, it was seriously the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, watching her soar across the sky as sunlight glinted off the wings that were just like mine, except with tips so dark that they turned purple in the sun. Second most amazing moment of my life.

_Just_ in case you haven't figured it out by now, that little mutant bird girl is my daughter. I know, I know; Maximum Ride with a _kid_? Of her own?! Weird, yes. After eight years, _I'm_ still getting used to the idea. So is Fang.

Before one of you asks because you missed those rather obvious hints above, yes, that little mutant bird girl is Fang's daughter, too. Yep. A Max-Fang combo. The first mutant born to mutants, raised by mutants, without being trapped in a dog cage or experimented on by mad scientists (mad as in crazy, not angry, just so y'know).

Hawk is the most wonderful thing that has ever existed, even if I did have to deal with a massively twitchy Fang the entire time I was pregnant with her. (He was convinced that a mutant like me wasn't built for childbearing. Quite frankly, I was, too.) Nonetheless, after the most incredibly painful few hours of my _life_, it was all made worthwhile when I saw the cutest little mutant wings tucked against her back and she looked up at me with the same dark eyes that had caused her existence. Number one most amazing moment of my life.

Hawk. My little half-Fang mutant.

Perfection at its best.

* * *

Tidbit:

Favourite line from the entire Maximum Ride series so far: "I vill now destroy de Snickuhs bahrs!"


	3. 3

3

"Merow!"

I ground my teeth and glowered at Fang where he was sprawled across the couch, reading and barely concealing a smirk. It was his fault we had the stupid cat; he just couldn't say no to his precious little Hawk and her big dark eyes. Funny that he was done in by _his own freaking eyes_. Talk about self-absorbed.

The cat rubbed at my ankles and mewled in that annoying way he had again. I love animals, don't get me wrong, but this cat was right up there with Total on the annoying list.

"Hawk! Come feed your cat!" I called as I almost tripped over the giant hairball.

She came down the hall, looking bedraggled and rubbing her eyes. I rolled my eyes; she was the only person I knew who snuck naps.

"C'mon, Spectre," she called softly. He trotted over to her, fat belly swinging side to side. He had been skin and bones when we'd found him, but, thanks to Hawk's TLC, he now tipped the scales at twenty-three pounds in what should have been a twelve-pound body.

"Daddy, can we watch cartoons?" Hawk asked, looking over at him with wide eyes.

I gave Fang a sharp glance, but he had already nodded and set aside his book.

"Hawk, sweetie, what did I say about asking your father for things?" I growled.

She looked up at me innocently.

"_You always ask me_," I said sternly. "It's cheating to ask your dad."

"It's just cartoons, Mom," she replied, giving me the wide-eyed look that worked so well on Fang. Unfortunately, it also worked exceptionally well on me.

"All right, you can watch _one_ show, and then I want you and Spectre to go out and get some exercise."

Okay, I'm gonna be honest here. Hawk is, well…overweight. By bird kid standards, I mean. By human standards, she's still just carrying around a little bit of puppy fat. A round, full face, some padding over her belly. No big deal. However, when I could no longer feel her ribs easily as I forced her into a shirt in the morning, I was concerned. Was it a problem derived from being born a natural bird kid instead of being genetically altered into one?

As it turned out, after a _tiny bit _of freaking on my part, it was just because the kid was spoiled. The whole flock doted on her, she took naps and ate whenever she dang well pleased, and I just wasn't strict enough in her training. We were so safe, I figured it was all right to slack.

Unfortunately, with Fang's Hawk-induced lack of spine and the flock's uncanny ability to sneak behind my back, my training program to get her back to bird kid slimness was undermined with _even more _naps and enough junk to, well, make a bird kid put on poundage.

Anyway, Hawk frowned at the mention of exercise, but I couldn't even bring myself to scowl as she joined Fang on the couch and reached for the remote. She loved flying, of course, but she hated the combat stuff, the running, the sparring with the flock. Oh, well; at least the extra weight would make her wings stronger. When she did lose weight, she'd be faster than any of us, unless I chose to exhibit my special flying powers.

"Daddy, will you come flying with me?" I heard her ask Fang. I glared at him.

"Why don't you ask your mom to go with you this time?" he said carefully, watching my narrowed eyes and the wooden spoon in my hand that I'd been washing. I'd already broken its twin a few days before.

I heard her whisper something that sounded suspiciously like she thought I was scary and overbearing. Fang smiled in agreement, making my heart beat faster with simultaneous joy and anger. I swear, between the two of them, it's surprising that I haven't undergone some sort of cardiac rest by now.

* * *

Tidbit:

Having given serious thought to this kind of thing before...yes, I would totally give up all my little luxuries (safety and part of my human DNA included) to be able to fly. I'm not kidding. Call me silly, but...damn. Flight. All my dreams come true.


	4. 4

4

I glanced over my shoulder nervously. Mom was watching me intently; she had a look on her face that told me I wasn't out here just to fly for fun. Nope. Looked like I was in for some "surprise" sparring. Oh, man. Can't I get a break?

I pushed off from the ground and unfurled my wings, keeping low and watching Mom out of the corner of my eye. Dad was sprawled on the grass with Spectre. The corner of his mouth was turned up, letting me know I was really in for something today.

_Watch your back. Don't get distracted_, a Voice said in my mind. _You never know when this training might come in handy_.

_Like when?_ I growled in response, annoyed.

I thought I heard the Voice sigh. _You haven't told your parents about me. They told you to tell them if you developed odd powers, Hawk._

_You're not an odd power!_ I thought, scowling. _You're an irritating Voice in my head! You're a sanity issue, not a power._

The Voice fell silent. I wheeled over the trees, waiting tensely for Mom to strike. I tried to watch her without her noticing as I wandered farther away, but she never moved. What was she waiting for?

Something suddenly struck me in the side, spinning me off-balance and making me lose fifteen feet of altitude. As I tried to regain my ground, so to speak, I was bombarded by a flurry of wing tips and reaching hands. I tried to rise higher, by my wings struck bodies and something grabbed onto my ankle. Unsure whether I was supposed to fight or give out midair hugs, I hesitated.

"Did we interrupt your training?"

I smiled at Angel, feeling relieved. I had _really_ not wanted to take on the whole flock. The Gasman ruffled my hair, then plucked at the short strands.

"What's this? A Max haircut? Haven't seen one of those in a while. Did she use the kitchen knife?" Nudge laughed, also inspecting my new short cut. "I guess we'd better touch down, huh? Only thing holding you up, little chickie, is Iggy and the Gasman trying to pull off your arms. Did your Mom make chocolate chip cookies today? I told her she should, said the flock was getting together today. You know, I really should--"

"Nudge," Iggy groaned.

She opened her mouth to apologise, realised her mistake, and grinned sheepishly. The flock diverged, giving me enough room to spread my wings again. I landed next to the Gasman, who pressed something into my hand. I tucked the object into my pocket, grinning, and turned to give my mom an innocent look.

Oooh, tonight was gonna be fun!

* * *

Tidbit:

Malamutes like Akila can survive in temperatures as low as -70 degrees Fahrenheit.

* * *

And don't worry, I promise the plot will become evident in the next two chapters, which will probably not be out until after Christmas. Speaking of which...Happy Christmas!


	5. 5

5

The boy recoiled from the creature crouched next to him. Despite being a mutant himself, the hulking girl repulsed him with her scaly, taloned hands and the crumpled feathers that covered her arms and legs. At least he still looked mostly human, even if he did have weird little wings that were of no use to anyone.

"You expect to just steal her away?" he said, careful to keep the disgust from his voice. "Come on, we've both been told about the originals. They're smart, they're fast, they're tough…and that chick's mother is ruthless."

X glared at him with hard eagle eyes. She scratched at her leg, scattering feathers, and fondled the video camera whose battery had gone dead days ago.

"Look, X, we've got to--"

"You shut up!" she hissed. "Shut up. I. Want. To. Fly. You stupid bird boy, can't stop me. Don't you wanna fly?"

"I don't give a crap about flying!" he growled back. "I just want out of this place, all right? Make that happen, and I'll help you get that flying chick."

X smiled, making him grimace. "We bust some heads, bird boy, we free. Can't fly, but run real fast, right, bird boy?"

He frowned, doubting how fast she could run. On the other hand, he knew she could fight, and even if she couldn't run, he knew he could. His heart pounded at the thought of a world beyond antiseptic and experiments. No more dog crates, no more painful surgeries on his malformed wings. Just open air, open fields, and no one making him feel like a lab rat.

"Yeah, I run _real_ fast," he said through clenched teeth. "They won't know what hit 'em."

"Won't know what hit 'em," X repeated, a hungry gleam in her eyes. "I like that, bird boy. You and me, bird boy, we're good team."

It took every ounce of the boy's willpower not to gag as she threw a half-moulted arm over his shoulder and dragged him into her side.

* * *

Tidbit:

For some reason, every time I imagine X speaking, it sounds the same way I imagine the Sparra warriors in _Redwall_ to speak. It rather ruins the menacing image I tried to give her. *Sigh*


	6. 6

6

Gazzy's new girlfriend squealed and fell into my shoulder when Fang suddenly flared his wings to their full twenty-foot span beside her. I'll admit it's an impressive sight, but it would be nice if he would _not_ do that to the flock's unsuspecting human guests for once.

"Not that it matters," Angel said to me, interrupting my internal tirade about Fang's immature behaviour. "And, no, I can't stay out of your head for once."

I snorted at her smirk. "What do you mean, 'not that it matters'?"

"She smells like lavender and strawberries. She won't last long around Gazzy, even if she does think his wings are 'kinda sexy,'" she replied with a smile. Then she frowned in her brother's direction. "He's such a pig sometimes."

I laughed and did a 360 for Hawk. I saw Fang smiling and followed his gaze to the kitchen, where Hawk was practicing flaring her wings. When she knocked a few plastic cups off the counter, she looked around, blushing and checking to see if anyone had seen. Fang and I quickly averted our eyes, caught each other's glance, and grinned.

"Hey, Max, were you planning on feeding us tonight?" Iggy called from the couch.

"Pizzas are in the oven. Relax," I growled back.

Pizza? In _Maximum Ride's _oven? Yes, you read that right, thank you very much. Thanks to Mom's teaching, I'm quite the cook nowadays. Okay, so Fang might have helped a _little bit_. But I put the pans in the oven. And I can make some _awesome_ chocolate chip cookies, so don't say I don't have any skills.

"Daddy, I'm hungry."

Predictably, Hawk was tugging on Fang's shirt, looking up at him with wide eyes. She'd been on a strict meal plan since I'd found a grocery store's worth of potato chips and Twinkies under her bed. The result was that she bothered Fang every hour for a "small snack."

"Supper's almost ready, babe," he replied with what seemed to be a vast amount of effort.

She frowned in what Fang had informed me was a disturbingly Maxish way and glanced over at me. I gave her a look that said I had won yet again, and she stopped frowning to slink over to the couch. When I checked Fang's reaction, he looked relieved to have survived denying his daughter something that she wanted.

_Be wary, Maximum._

I froze, ice in my veins, my heart trying to escape from my rib cage. The Voice had been gone for a decade, during which I had built a safe home and a family. What was it doing here now, ruining my finally normal life? Action momentarily evaded my emotionally swamped brain; however, I quickly regained my senses and disappeared into the kitchen. A dark shadow followed me.

"Max? What's up?" Fang asked, looking and sounding appropriately concerned. Even after ten peaceful years, our fight-or-flight instincts were still twenty times more active than any normal person's.

I held up my finger to silence him and turned my attention back to the Voice.

_Why? What do I have to be wary about?_

_No welcome back? Max, I'm disappointed._

I growled, clenching and unclenching my fists in an old mannerism that hadn't been spotted in years. _Hi, Voice. Sorry to say I'm not happy to hear from you again. What bad news fortune cookie crap do you have to throw at me today?_

_I just want you to be on your guard, Maximum. You have been allowed to relax for some time now, but I think you may wish to rethink the safety of your flock._

Tears were clogging up my throat, but I refused to let my emotions take over just because I hadn't been tested in so long. I could tell Fang wanted desperately to know what was going on, but he was remaining typically silent.

_Why? What's happening? Don't give me some stupid riddle!_

_Be on your guard, Maximum. There is more to them than meets the eye._

I had to bite my lip to keep from shouting my question out loud. _More to who?!_

Unsurprisingly, the Voice choose that time to go silent. Half-frantic, more terrified than I could ever remember being, I looked up at Fang.

"The Voice is back," I breathed.

The horrified widening of his eyes that met my words did nothing to assuage my fear.

* * *

Tidbit:

I'm not sure if this will show up later or not, so Max and Fang are twenty-eight. I figured with practically being adults at fourteen, twenty wasn't an unreasonably young age to have a kid, especially considering Hawk was a bit of a surprise. X3


End file.
